My chicken story updated

We bought a place that had not been used for about 25 years (seriously, the brooder room had a calendar on the wall from 1989). The buildings (coop and support building) were structurally sound, so I started cleaning up 25 year old chicken droppings in fall of 2013 to begin a chicken ranch on the same property. I based the size of the initial flock on the room I had. The hen house (coop) is approx. 100 sq feet (12x8). So I figured at 4 feet per bird I should start with a flock of 25. I ordered 25 chicks from Ideal Poultry in Cameron and they arrived on February 18th. One of the chicks found the trip from the hatchery too stressful and died the first day. The rest are doing well.

The brooder room contains 4 distinct brooders with each brooder having 2 "compartments." I initially housed all 25 chicks in a single brooder until they outgrew it. I now have them separated into two brooders. As of today (March 10th) they are at an ugly stage between chicks and hens. The have developed wing feathers and the beginnings of tail feathers. Some also have some pectoral feathers just forward of their wings. I have not weighed them at any point, but they are probably at least double in size and weight from the day they arrived. Possibly much more.

One of the groups appears to have at least one rambunctious girl. Each morning the waterer has been tipped over. I think one or more of the gals is trying to roost on the water jar and that's what is knocking it over. They "flock" to the water jar when I bring it out first thing in the morning, which gives me an opportunity to introduce my hand into their midst. They are willing to climb on my hand, and don't mind it brushing against them. I'm hoping this will end up making a much more "user-friendly" flock of chickens.

I've built replacements for both the man door and the chicken door, but have not yet hung them. A friend with an augur is coming on March 22nd to drill some holes for fence posts. Once the holes are drilled, I'll begin building the run.